Colorado Explorer

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Colorado Explorer

Destination

Colorado

Current Grades

7th, 8th, 9th

length

12 Days

view dates and prices
Meeting Place

Arrive & depart Denver, CO (DEN)

Spend two magical weeks exploring the diverse terrain of Colorful Colorado. In Rocky Mountain National Park, walk through fields laden with blue and purple wildflowers. In the deep canyons of the Front Range, quickly progress your climbing skills on soaring granite domes. Navigate the rapids on the Upper Colorado River, then hike your way to unbeatable views on the 12,713-foot Hallett Peak or Flattop Mountain, and finish your trip with rafting on the Clear Creek River’s nonstop rollercoaster rapids!

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Colorado Explorer Activities

Day hike and backpack in Rocky Mountain National Park

Spend several days hiking in the Rocky Mountains during peak wildflower season. (If you keep your eyes peeled, you may even see bighorn sheep, mule deer, marmots, and possibly even elk!) As you wind through dense pine and aspen forests, past green-blue alpine lakes, and beneath stunning ridgelines, you and your new friends will play fun games like hide and seek and “camouflage.” By the end of the backpack, it’ll feel like you’ve been friends for years. We’ll do one day hike before heading into the woods for a three-day, two-night backpack.

Whitewater raft the Upper Colorado River

The Upper Colorado River’s incredibly exciting rapids await! With sections of calm water separating famous class II and III rapids with names like “Eye of the Needle” and “Yarmony Rapids,” this section of river is perfect for both new and experienced rafters alike. Plus, you can’t beat the scenery of northern Rocky Mountain National Park, including vibrant wildflowers and rugged canyon walls.

Rock climb in Boulder Canyon

In Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests lay hundreds of granitic outcroppings, perfect for climbers of all skill levels and an astoundingly beautiful place to learn the basics of rock climbing. For two days, you’ll advance through your technique and skills on multiple routes and see how high you can go!

Climb Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak (12,324 feet)

Venture back into Rocky Mountain National Park, this time to hike up Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak, where the 360-degrees will leave you speechless. At the summit, you’ll feel like you’re walking on top of the world; everywhere you look are gorgeous mountains, including Longs Peak (the tallest mountain in the park at 14,259 feet) and several other 12,000- and 13,000-foot peaks. High above treeline, you and your friends will be jumping up and down with excitement!

Whitewater raft the Clear Creek River

Experience a river that became famous for mining during the Colorado Gold Rush! Continuous, action-packed rapids will keep you laughing as you rush down Clear Creek surrounded by sheer cliffs and tall peaks.

Dates and Prices

Departure 1
  • Departure Day
    06/24/24
  • Return Day
    07/05/24
  • Price
    $4,395
Departure 2
  • Departure Day
    07/11/24
  • Return Day
    07/22/24
  • Price
    $4,395
Departure 3
  • Departure Day
    07/28/24
  • Return Day
    08/08/24
  • Price
    $4,395
Departure Day Return Day Price
06/24/24
07/05/24
$4,395
07/11/24
07/22/24
$4,395
07/28/24
08/08/24
$4,395
Included in tuition:
  • All meals
  • Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack, and all group gear
  • Guided activities
Not included in tuition:
  • Airfare to and from Denver, CO (DEN)
  • Trip insurance (more info here)
  • Personal clothing and items (packing lists available for enrolled families)
Camping

Most of our nights are spent at “frontcountry” campsites, where we’ll generally have a more developed campsite with running water, toilets, and sometimes cell phone service. This may be a public or private campground. We often stay at the same frontcountry site a few days in a row.

The other few nights will be spent “backcountry” camping, referring to wilderness locations where we are most likely out of cell phone service and away from our vehicles, electricity, and other amenities. Multi-day activities like backpacking take place in the backcountry.

Challenge/fitness level

No experience necessary; all skill levels welcome!

Fitness and physical challenge are subjective, so Adventure Treks does not “rate” its trips based on challenge. However, because we’ll be highly engaged in backcountry activities throughout trip, our students have the responsibility to be physically fit. We know physical fitness looks different for everyone, but it’s important to come prepared so that you and your fellow students can succeed. One student not coming prepared with physical fitness will negatively impact the entire group. In the months leading up to their trip, students should develop a routine that emphasizes stamina and sustaining a moderate level of exertion for many hours, several days in a row. Running, swimming, bicycling, aerobics classes, and team sports are all beneficial and will help improve cardiovascular fitness in preparation for a student’s trip.

Activities

Backpacking

Rock Climbing

Summit

Whitewater Rafting

Reviews

Carey Macaleer, parent from Brooklyn, NY

We were going to do Outward Bound, but that seemed too extreme. We searched the website and found Adventure Treks. We liked the age of instructors and ratio of kids to instructors. The focus on community and good behavior was key. Adventure Treks exceeded our expectations. This was an experience that we had to nudge our child to go on, but he came back so optimistic, grounded, happier than we have seen him in years, and incredibly confident. He said, “it was the best combination of kids. A life-changing experience that rocked my world!” Our son learned that he CAN take care of himself, and despite obstacles, he can overcome them and feel really good about himself.

Keely Wise, parent from Chicago, IL

Adventure Treks was an incredible, challenging, life-changing adventure! What was so valuable was the community and our daughter’s realization that she’s stronger than she thought. She feels like she made life-long friends and can’t wait to travel with them again.

Farzanah Gangjee, parent from Houston, TX

While a rugged outdoor experience was not our daughter’s first choice, she came home raving about her trip. Not only did she get to see a gorgeous part of the country and make good friends, but she learned that she is much stronger than she thought she was—both physically and mentally. She learned new skills (cooking, setting up tents in the rain, etc.), perseverance, and how being goofy can help you get through most anything. We had wanted her to have a fun, tech-free experience, and Adventure Treks definitely delivered. We can’t recommend it enough!

Nancy Tray, parent from St. Johns, FL

My son had an amazing time, and it was a great experience for him. He’s at an age where he craves independent adventure, and this was a great opportunity for him to have an adventure without us while we could still feel that he was safe and in good hands. He came home with awesome stories, and he is happier and more confident. As his parents, this means a lot to us. It felt risky sending him off on a plane alone for the first time to travel around with people we’ve never even met in person, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Bob Emerson, parent from Piedmont, CA

Adventure Treks is a community-oriented, nature-exploring, and fun program. It allows your child to experience nature in many new and awesome ways, and lets them meet many interesting people and build community with them. The community was so valuable because of how they supported one another and let each other grow in amazing ways.

Lisa Goodman, parent from Chicago, IL

While my daughter was excited about signing up, as the experience became closer, the uncertainties made it feel very scary, and she was apprehensive. The trip ended up exceeding her expectations, and she is excited to go back next summer. She felt supported by the instructors, felt comfortable in the community, and made friends. Emily commented multiple times when she got home that she felt safe and cared for. She noted her medication and food as two areas where she noticed how caring and responsible the instructors were. I am also thankful that they managed her homesickness well, and she was able to overcome those feelings with the support of the instructors. She had a lot of fun and felt proud of her accomplishments! She really enjoyed the people and the activities. She can be a picky eater, but she only had great things to say about the food. From my perspective, the most valuable part of the experience was that she had the opportunity to be in situations in which she had to be flexible and also try new things that felt challenging. I really appreciate that Adventure Treks offers the opportunity to have those experiences with the appropriate scaffolding to make them accessible to a beginner. I think it is amazing every time she does something that she thought she was too anxious to do. I wanted so badly for her to enjoy experiencing the outdoors in this way, and I was so glad that she loved it and said she wanted to go back!

Svetlana Calderon, parent from Miami Beach, FL

My daughter can’t stop talking about her adventures—she said it was the best trip ever, the best kids ever, and the best instructors ever. She truly misses everyone. She described the community like a big family.

Eric Greenwald, parent from Miami Beach, FL

Sydney and Sam both loved AT. The program exposed them to new people, new challenges, and new experiences. They learned a lot, grew as individuals, became more confident, and made friendships that we hope will last a lifetime.

Beatrice Gibney, parent from Scarsdale, NY

My daughter had the time of her life on her AT trip to Colorado. Not only were the adventures and activities amazing, but also the instructors and students fostered an open and supportive environment of fun and community-building. Eva loved the instructors: funny, engaging, personable. Fantastic job!